Archive for June 13th, 2007
Microsoft 
issued six sets of updates to patch 15 bugs in June’s Patch Tuesday release. The fixes address 12 critical bugs, six of them in Windows software and six in Internet Explorer.Although the IE bugs are the focus of most security analysis this week, flaws in Windows Vista have become a topic of discussion as well. Two patches plug holes in Microsoft’s newest operating system. One critical patch affects Windows Mail in Vista and Windows Vista x64 edition, while a second Vista bug is rated “moderate.”
Another security update that fixes two vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office ranks as “important.” However, experts agree that bulletins MS07-031 and MS07-035 are the most critical of the batch, and should be applied first.
MS07-031 deals with a vulnerability in the Windows Secure Channel module and MS07-035 resolves a vulnerability in the Win32 API. Both issues addressed by these patches involve remote code execution and translate to potential exploits when users simply visit a malicious Web site.
Click here to read the rest of this story on CIO Today.
June 13th, 2007
“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal.”
– Henry Ford, Ford Motor Founder
June 13th, 2007
Once upon a time, telecom regulators had what they figured was a brilliant notion. Let consumers transfer their cell phone numbers when they switch mobile service providers. The notion is called Mobile Number Portability (MNP), and regulators in many countries have adopted the strategy as a way to spur competition between carriers and increase customer satisfaction.The government-mandated concept, however, has largely failed in most countries that have implemented it, according to Analysys, a global telecom advisory firm. Despite high churn rates in the mobile industry, an Analysys investigation turned up few examples where more than 10 percent of mobile numbers have been ported from one carrier to another. The key culprits, according to Analysys, are the high charges involved with transferring numbers, long delays in the process, and a sheer lack of awareness that MNP is available.
Analysys also discovered that mobile number portability does not necessarily increase long-term churn rates or cause price competition. The firm concluded that MNP could be a major benefit to mobile operators — and to consumers — if it’s implemented well. Indeed, the report indicates that at least some carriers have enjoyed significant market growth by embracing the concept.
Click here to read the rest of this story on Sci-Tech Today.
June 13th, 2007
Microsoft and Google are going tit for tat with Department of Justice complaints.Last year, Google complained that Redmond was giving its MSN search engine priority over Google, Yahoo, and others in Internet Explorer 7. Microsoft bowed to the accusation and made changes to its software.
Then, Microsoft rose up in arms after Google won the $3.1 billion bid for DoubleClick in April, sending a letter to the Federal Trade Commission urging it to scrutinize the deal. The FTC obliged and is reviewing the merger.
What the world didn’t know was that during the same month, Google filed a 49-page report with the DOJ and several state attorneys general claiming Microsoft is stifling competition with its search operations in Windows Vista. Specifically, Google is alleging that Vista’s search utility discourages the use of Google’s own desktop search.
Click here to read the rest of this story on NewsFactor.
June 13th, 2007
According to a new report by the Computer Security Institute (CSI), online security research is being hampered by laws that could land researchers in prison for looking for Web site vulnerabilities, much less disclosing them publicly.The CSI report offers insights and discussions from security researchers, computer crime law experts, and representatives from law enforcement agencies. The report shines a spotlight on Web 2.0 technologies that make it easier for everyday Joes to pay bills, order medication, and swap photos online.
The current legal framework, the study found, makes it difficult to spot security flaws in these next-generation Internet applications that are quickly becoming ubiquitous. The report will be formally presented on June 18 at the NetSec ‘07 conference.
Click here to read the rest of this story on NewsFactor Network.
June 13th, 2007
